J. Franklin Jameson Fellowship in American History at the Library of Congress

The fellowship has been discontinued.

The J. Franklin Jameson Fellowship in American History is offered annually by the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress and the American Historical Association to support significant scholarly research in the collections of the Library of Congress by scholars at an early stage in their careers in history. The fellowship is named in honor of J. Franklin Jameson, a founder of the Association, longtime managing editor of the American Historical Review, formerly chief of the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress, and the first incumbent of the library’s chair of American history. It is designed to assist scholars early in their careers.

Eligibility

At the time of application, applicants must hold the PhD or equivalent and must have received this degree within the past seven years. The fellowship will not be awarded to complete a doctoral dissertation.

Research Project

The applicant’s project in American history must be one for which the general and special collections of the Library of Congress offer unique research support. Applicants should include a statement substantiating this relationship.

Duration

The fellowship will be awarded for two to three months to spend in full-time residence at the Library of Congress. Winners will be notified in June and can take residency at their discretion any time until August of the following year. Working space will be provided at the John W. Kluge Center at  the Library of Congress.

Other Requirements

Before the conclusion of the fellowship, the Jameson Fellow will summarize the results of his or her research at a professional gathering arranged by the American Historical Association and the Library of Congress. Jameson Fellows are not required to complete their projects during the tenure of the fellowship, nor need they necessarily publish their results as a discrete work.

Stipend

The stipend of $5,000 is supported by the American Historical Association and the Library of Congress. It includes travel expenses, and is paid by the AHA during your period of residence. The fellowship income is classified as stipendiary; there are no provisions for paying fringe benefits or withholding taxes.

Selection

Selection will be by a committee of the American Historical Association, in consultation with designated officers of the Library of Congress, who will advise the committee on the strength of library holdings to sustain the research project. The AHA encourages nontenured faculty, public historians, independent scholars, and two-year faculty to apply.

To Apply

Click the “Apply Here” button on the left column of the page for the application. Completed applications are due April 1, and should include the following:

• Applicant’s CV (no more than three to five typed pages in length)
• A statement concerning the proposed project and its relationship to the Library of Congress holdings.  This statement should include a tentative schedule for residence of the fellowship.
• Three letters of recommendation written by individuals qualified to judge the project that address the applicant’s fitness to undertake it

Deadline, Submission Information, and Notification

The AHA has partnered with Interfolio to manage our fellowship application process. Applying through Interfolio is FREE for applicants. When submitting an application, if you don't already have an account with Interfolio, you will be asked to set up an account and create a password, but you will NOT be charged any fee to create the account. Applications must be submitted through Interfolio by April 1 each year. Mailed, e-mailed, or faxed applications will not be accepted. The name of the winner will be announced in June.

For questions, please contact awards@historians.org.